


We Could Always Be This Way

by idlestories



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Canon Era, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Consort Merlin (Merlin), Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Dancing, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M, just festive winter vibes okay, not explicitly christmas just a winter holiday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28137741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idlestories/pseuds/idlestories
Summary: Merlin and Arthur are married, Camelot is flourishing, and it's the holidays. It's snowing, and Merlin owes Arthur a dance.
Relationships: Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 167
Collections: merlin fics i read and haven't been the same since





	We Could Always Be This Way

**Author's Note:**

> rewatched diamond of the day and had to remedy it with some festive fluff, didn't i
> 
> title from ['It's Christmas So We'll Stop'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejOgf-19eeg&ab_channel=TheDeadpans) by frightened rabbit

Arthur woke naturally, rising through layers of sleep to meet the dim daylight. Both of these were unusual occurrences these days: being winter, it was usually dark when he woke, and he was usually woken by either some poor, terrified servant, or by Merlin, collapsing into bed in the early hours of the morning after whatever magical threat or experiment he’d gotten himself caught up in. He’d come to bed later than Arthur last night, but still early for him. Arthur had barely noticed, half-asleep and pressing himself closer automatically as Merlin laughed and kissed the top of his head before he fell back to sleep.

The room was pleasantly cool, but a far cry from the icy mornings that used to await the castle in winter. The fire in their chambers never went out, now, really, never getting below embers however long it was left. Merlin had done something to it. To most of the fires in the castle, really, earning him the undying gratitude of servants who had spent many a freezing morning dragging themselves out of bed to light fires. Arthur’s best understanding of the technique was that he had given the fire a good talking to, but he supposed it was something clever and magical Merlin, Morgana and Gaius had come up with between them. Either way, ice no longer threatened to form on the inside of the windows and the final few inches of embers glowed for days, if left alone.

He opened his eyes slowly and noticed the dull, grey light of the room. He sat up a few inches and looked over Merlin’s sleeping form to the window. The sky was pale and thick with cloud, and as he squinted he caught a few snowflakes on their way down, and grinned. He lay back and looked at Merlin, who was still sound asleep.

Some mornings it caught up to him again, and he couldn’t quite believe he got to have this – this life, with Merlin at his side. The ease of it still took his breath away, how well they fit together. He watched Merlin sleep, a long way from the awkward boy he had been when he crashed into Arthur’s life all those years ago. He’d grown into himself, broadening and developing an easy sort of grace, but he still had the same sharp cheekbones - and tongue. He looked younger in sleep. He’d been so busy recently; they all had, with new treaties and diplomatic envoys arriving almost every week. Merlin had been run off his feet handling the magical side of things, on top of his usual responsibilities overseeing training and helping the youngest magical children with their new power.

Even besides that, he still spent hours every week helping Gaius with magical and medical research, trying as they were to close the gap left by the years of Uther’s reign. Plus, there were still a few old patients of theirs who outright refused to be treated by Daegal and came to Merlin for every sore throat and broken tooth, however much he promised that Daegal was qualified. Arthur suspected Merlin was rapidly losing patience with this particular role, given that he’d just last week heard him shout at someone that he wasn’t a physician. As it turned out, whoever it was had been looking for Merlin for something else entirely, and Arthur had bitten at the inside of his cheeks to keep from laughing at his apologies.

With all of that, Arthur was glad to see the ever-present crease between Merlin’s eyebrows smoothed in sleep, and the light shadows under his eyes fading a little. The few days off for the solstice and winter celebrations couldn’t have come at a better time - everything would stop for the festivities and the subsequent hangovers.

Arthur looked out at the snowy sky again, then back to Merlin, who, he decided upon reflection, was actually looking a little too peaceful. He brought a careful hand up to stroke his hair, trailing it down to his cheek. He ran a thumb over his cheekbone, then pinched his cheek, hard, pulling it away from his mouth. Merlin frowned. Arthur told himself it wasn’t cute. One blue eye cracked and glared sleepily at him. Merlin sighed and licked his lips.

“I will turn you into a frog,” he said, voice rough with sleep, eyes already closing again.

“You’d break and kiss me within the day and I’d be turned back. Waste of everyone’s time.”

“Mm. What do you want, oh bane of my life?”

“I think you mean ‘love’. Or possibly ‘light’,” Arthur offered cheerfully. “But don’t worry, I know it’s early.”

“Why are you like this?”

“You woke me up for years, it seems only fair.”

“You know, I do remember that,” Merlin said thoughtfully, turning onto his back and rubbing his eyes. “Specifically, I remember you not being a morning person. Which is what I thought I was signing up for when I married you.”

“Sorry, my love,” Arthur said sweetly. Merlin narrowed his eyes. “I just wanted to see your face when I told you it was snowing.”

Merlin’s eyes widened. He seemed fully awake now, and Arthur congratulated himself on a job well done. “It’s what?” He turned to look at Arthur pleadingly, who raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the window.

Merlin groaned and hauled himself upright. He stumbled over to the window, leaning on the windowsill to look down. Arthur noted that Merlin had apparently come to bed naked, and propped himself up on an elbow to better enjoy the view. The old scars didn’t bother him anymore, and he watched the muscles of Merlin’s back move as he craned his neck to look at the ground. Merlin was muttering under his breath about the snow already, but Arthur was well-practised at tuning that out, at this point. He smiled to himself, his gaze catching on the side table, where Merlin’s wedding band lay.

He sat up and moved to sit on Merlin’s side of the bed, picking up the ring and running his fingers over the delicate markings. It resembled his, but in silver and with a few slight differences that made the pair more complementary than matching, and Merlin often removed it when handling the various unpleasant substances to be found in Gaius’s new chambers.

“You’re not dressed,” he said, interrupting Merlin’s tirade about the weather.

“Keen powers of observation as ever, my lord,” Merlin said without looking around.

“Wasn’t talking about the clothes.”

Merlin turned to face Arthur with an expression that said he suspected he was about to regret asking, but softened as he saw Arthur holding up the ring with a smile. He laid a hand on his chest dramatically and extended his hand to let Arthur slide it on.

It still felt like the first time, when he put the ring on Merlin in front of all those people, their family, and knew that this was it, that this was how it was supposed to feel. He brought Merlin’s hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. Merlin grinned.

“Thank you, sire, I didn’t want my secret lover to know I was married.”

“Very funny.”

“I think so, yes.”

Arthur laughed and Merlin rolled his eyes and cast another distrustful glance out the window. He sighed and picked some clothes up off the chair seemingly at random, pulling on trousers and a shirt that used to be Arthur’s, once, red with a deep V at the neck. Arthur watched him for a second, then stood himself and went to the window, his breath fogging the glass.

He longed to go out in it, to inhale the sharp, clean smell of the air and feel the muted crunch of the powder under his feet. Some of his favourite childhood memories were snow days, rare and carefree, when all the castle’s children were so bundled up against the cold that the others didn’t know or care that he was the prince, pelting him with snowballs and crashing into him across the ice.

Camelot was still, for once. Most people were off or starting late today, with little to do only celebrate later. The snow had obviously been falling through half the night and lay not deep but even on the ground, pristine and untouched. Arthur knew it wouldn’t last, not once the town woke up and the shuffle of feet and the bustle and heat of the crowds outran the sky, inevitably too slow to cover the tracks properly again. By the end of the day, it was bound to be discoloured and slushy, more of an inconvenience than anything, and Arthur wished, for a second, that he could abuse his position and order everyone to stay in and not ruin it.

He blinked and stepped back, turning to find Merlin watching him, amused and fond. “Can we –”

“Nope,” Merlin said.

“Just for a minute, come on –”

“It’s freezing, why do you even want to go out there?”

“Because I have a soul, and snow is fun.”

“Is not.”

“Oh, here we go. Why not?”

They had this argument every year, and Arthur knew he would already be prepared with a new approach. As predicted, Merlin’s face took on a smug look.

“Well, it’s cold, wet and horrible,” he said matter-of-factly, ticking them off on his fingers. Arthur opened his mouth, but he held up a hand. “And,” he said triumphantly. “It’s horribly dangerous for all the poor, underappreciated servants. It makes everything slippy, freezes the water, your hands stick to the metal –”

“As if you didn’t solve every single one of those with magic. And besides, you haven’t been a servant for years, try again.”

Merlin still looked smug. “This is precisely the problem with you nobles – no sense of solidarity with the workers.”

“I do hope you’re not including yourself in that, because I certainly never noticed you working.”

“There’s a few things you never noticed,” Merlin muttered.

“If this is about the magic again, I have told you time and time again, I _knew_ –” Arthur said, pointing a finger.

“Right, right, you just keep changing your answer as to when for fun, of course.”

Arthur glared. “If you’re in such solidarity with the workers, does that mean I can still fire you?”

Merlin’s eyes sparkled. “I’ll lead the people in revolution against you.”

“Ah, the truth comes out at last. Playing the long game, were we?” As he spoke he took Merlin by the hand and walked them both back to the bed, sitting and pulling Merlin onto his lap.

“Biding my time,” Merlin agreed. Arthur pressed a kiss to the lowest point of his neckline. “Waiting for the right moment,” he continued, as Arthur worked his way up, sucking lightly at his collarbone. His voice got a little higher. “You only lasted so long because the benefits were – ah – good.” His hands tightened in the back of Arthur’s shirt.

“Good?” Arthur mumbled against his neck.

“Well, average.” Arthur scraped his teeth over Merlin’s pulse and he inhaled sharply. “Excellent, actually,” he said. Arthur smiled against him and Merlin laughed. He leaned back and reached under Arthur’s chin, lifting his face up to meet his in a kiss.

Merlin’s lips were soft but sure as he pressed closer to Arthur, settling into his position straddling him. He licked into Arthur’s mouth as he looped his arms around his shoulders, shifting a little. Parts of Arthur were more than a little interested in the way this was going, but Merlin broke the kiss.

“I should really –”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to –”

“Something outside this room, I assume. Your king forbids it,” Arthur said.

“Does he indeed?”

“He does.”

“And what does he intend to do about it?”

Arthur looked at him innocently and shifted, pulling Merlin closer so their hips were aligned. He let one hand drift from Merlin’s back to his front, and down a little.

“Oh,” Merlin said faintly. “Well, if my king insists.”

The snow continued to fall.

* * *

Later, they lay beside each other quietly as the castle and city began to wake up around them. Arthur had already sent one servant away, and the frequency of footsteps past their door was only increasing.

One of Merlin’s legs was draped over Arthur’s, and he had commandeered Arthur’s left hand, holding it to his chest and fiddling with his wedding ring.

“We should probably be seen to be helping out with the preparations, you know,” he said, with regret.

Arthur sighed. “I’m paying for the damned thing, isn’t that enough?”

Merlin set his hand back on his chest and patted it consolingly. Arthur made a sad face. “I’m going to go check the wards and then help them with the decorations. You know, it’s really not safe to have them climbing up ladders to –”

“What? Where has this sudden interest in workplace safety come from? Go get some of your tiny sorcerer minions to do it, God knows they’d do anything you tell them to.”

Arthur was referring to the squad of magical children currently under Merlin and Morgana’s tutelage, most of whom had declared themselves for one or the other very early on. Morgana’s were quite often intense little girls who worshipped the ground she walked on, and tormented their siblings with magic based on what Arthur suspected were Morgana’s examples from their own childhood. He didn’t complain too much, though, since overall he found it very sweet.

She could be a little severe with them, it was true, but any time a child showed signs of being a Seer and had a nightmare, she was the first to go and sit with them, explaining their power and teaching them the control she’d been missing at that age. And Arthur had seen the genuine pride on her face when they showed her what they could do, or gave her little gifts they had made.

A lot of the other children really liked Merlin, though, somewhat against his will. Arthur, while deeply, stupidly in love with Merlin, was a little disconcerted to find how much they adored him, until Merlin pointed out that his competition was Morgana. He was very good with them, especially the younger ones, who he talked to like fully-formed adults and showed completely inappropriate, violent magic to whenever they asked. On the other hand, slightly embittered by his own experiences with Kilgharrah, he took great pleasure in being deliberately vague when asked for advice.

All of the kids, however, universally adored Gwen, and she could often be seen with magical flowers in her hair as she returned from the city. Much like with Merlin, Arthur suspected something had gone amiss in the children’s interpretation of the adults, as he personally considered Gwen more formidable than the other two combined. Merlin agreed, but figured it was in his best interests to keep showing them how to make her presents. Even Morgana’s little cult were obsessed with her, reasoning that anyone Morgana would marry had to be simply amazing, and they were positively awed to see them together and Morgana soft and smiling.

Merlin looked briefly thoughtful at the prospect of ordering the children around, but shook his head. “It’s a holiday, Arthur, have a heart. Besides, I need to go check on mine and Gaius’s experiment from last night, we’ve been trying to see if mixing –” Arthur may have zoned out a little. “…Increases the efficacy of the –” Merlin was really very pretty when he was going on about magic and medicine, or whatever unholy combination of the two he and Gaius were fiddling with that week. “…Curse-breaking potential –” Arthur nodded automatically. “…And then I’m going to run off with Lady Charlotte and have a brood of ginger children, you see.”

Arthur nodded again, then frowned. He looked at Merlin, who was watching him, mouth twitching. He smacked him, and Merlin laughed.

“You know I don’t understand your experiments,” Arthur said.

“I do, but it’s just so –”

“Fascinating.”

“Right, and the –”

“Potential,” Arthur agreed, face perfectly straight.

Merlin narrowed his eyes. “Where do you even go when you glaze over, anyway? It’s like your brain has gone for a walk.”

“Still thinking about you,” Arthur said honestly, pleased to see Merlin’s frown deepening.

“You make it quite difficult to make fun of you sometimes, you know that?”

“I have faith you’ll manage.”

Merlin grinned. “Well, what are you going to be doing today?”

“Supervising,” Arthur said confidently.

“Supervising.”

“Seating plans, music, whatever else needs final approval.”

“Indispensable, you are.”

“Shut up,” Arthur said easily, and kissed him. “Later?” he added.

“Later,” Merlin agreed, and swung out of bed. He left, and Arthur tried valiantly to squash the thought that he missed him already. He lay back and let his arm flop onto the empty side of the bed, wondering, not for the first time, how he had lived with it cold and empty for so long.

He stood and looked out the window again, dismayed to see the snow already a mess of footprints the light flakes were failing to cover. He sighed, and went to get dressed.

* * *

More details of the festivities than Arthur had thought existed turned out to need his approval, decision after decision flying at him wherever he went. He fought the urge to tell everyone he didn’t actually care what the musicians played, or where the empty wine barrels were to go.

He liberated a few appetisers on a detour past the kitchens, and escaped through a serving passage, hoping to avoid any further questions. He emerged near the hall, and walked in to see the walls and doors already decorated with festive plants and berries, a few magical lights already floating dimly in the daylight.

Merlin was standing in the middle of the room, hands on hips, giving instructions and himself positioning the highest holly branches by magic. Arthur brushed pastry crumbs off his fingers and grinned.

“A little to the left,” he called. Merlin looked to the ceiling in despair, and Arthur could see his sigh from here, but he complied. “No, back to the right, actually.” It shifted minutely. “Try down a bit,” he suggested, fighting a smile as the back of Merlin’s head nodded just before the entire branch came zooming down to hit Arthur on the head.

The rest of the room conveniently looked away, all seemingly afflicted with the same need to clear their throats.

“Merlin.”

“Bye, Arthur,” Merlin said cheerfully, catching his eye for a second before turning back to the wall. “Love you!”

Arthur grumbled and ran a hand through his hair, dislodging small pieces of wood and leaves. He glared at the offending branch, and left.

* * *

Later, decisions all made and daylight already disappearing, they finished getting ready for the feast. There were several big ones happening for the castle staff and city, but they were headed to a smaller, more private one. Arthur pulled his other shoe on and straightened, looking up to find Merlin holding out his light, thin circlet. He made a face, but he supposed it was better than the full crown.

Merlin motioned impatiently for him to incline his head, which he did. It was carefully lowered onto his head.

“I dub thee…Sir Dickhead,” Merlin said solemnly, hands still touching Arthur’s head. He pulled Arthur’s head in to drop a kiss on his forehead.

“That’s not how any of this works, you know,” Arthur said.

“No?”

“No,” he said, smiling, fixing Merlin’s collar and brushing invisible dust off his shoulder. He straightened Merlin’s silver chain and adjusted the decorative cuff on his right wrist, nodding slightly.

He loved seeing him dressed up like this: the rich, purple shirt with the silver threading at the hems and the jewellery had both been hard-won concessions from Merlin, who had held out admirably against giving up his two old outfits, at the start. He still wore them once in a while, for training or experiments and such, and Arthur had a fondness for the old neckerchief too, but there was something about seeing him adorned, dressed for the respect he deserved that just felt right. Also, it was a personal hobby of his to give Merlin fine things as gifts and watch him go through the five stages of grief before admitting that, yes, the material was very soft, or the jewels very shiny, and yes, he supposed he would look good in that, and (if Arthur was lucky, and he generally was) that now he had tried the new clothes on, perhaps they should take them off again.

He returned to checking Merlin’s fastenings and smoothing the wrinkles. “You look almost presentable,” he mused.

“Oh?”

He fixed a stray bit of hair. “Much less like you’ve been dragged through a bush backwards than usual.”

“Must be magic,” Merlin said.

“Must be.”

“Shall I fix you?” Merlin said.

“Don’t you mess this up, you’ll only set me on fire or something,” Arthur said. “I have to look respectable. Royal, even.”

“At the start of the night,” Merlin agreed. “And you’re really going to have to let that go.” He reached out and touched Arthur’s lower lip with his thumb, looking deep into his eyes. “You’re beautiful,” he said.

“So are you,” Arthur replied.

“And late.”

“And la- Oh, hell,” Arthur said, holding out a hand. “Let’s go, then.” Merlin took it and held tight.

* * *

They met Morgana and Gwen at the hall and followed them to the top table. Merlin let go of Arthur’s hand to attach himself to Gwen, and the two sat down and immediately began catching up at top speed, serving themselves and ignoring their spouses. Arthur watched Merlin with what he suspected was an embarrassingly fond look on his face, then looked back to Morgana, who looked a little more despairing but just as infatuated.

“That’s us out, then,” she said, amused.

“Looks like it,” Arthur agreed. The knights filtered in, laughing and shoving each other, greeting Merlin happily.

“Merlin! When are you coming back to train with us, eh?” Gwaine said, throwing himself into a chair. Merlin waved a hand and the pitcher poured him a glass of wine.

“Have you recovered from last time yet?” he asked sweetly, to a chorus of jeers from the others, who had all seen Gwaine fly ten feet and land squarely on his ass in their last mixed-discipline session.

“I’ll get one over on you one of these days, my friend,” Gwaine said good-naturedly, raising a glass to everyone. “Cheers,” he said, and everyone lifted their glasses in return.

Food appeared, and Merlin sent the servants off for the night, saying it could be cleared up another time. They filed out, heading for their own celebrations and thanking him profusely. Merlin turned to Arthur and, over the noise of the party, mouthed ‘revolution’ at him. Arthur made a rude gesture and Merlin’s eyes glowed, sending wine spilling down Arthur’s front. He glared. Merlin blew a kiss.

Arthur laughed, and turned back to Morgana, who was watching him with a strange, vulnerable look. He quieted, and she turned to watch Gwen as he looked back to Merlin. When she looked back around, he raised an eyebrow.

She shrugged. “Did you ever – Did you ever think…” And Arthur thought he knew what she meant. Did he ever think it could be like this – that they could have this, any of it?

“No,” he said quietly, and she shot him a grateful look. She squeezed his hand for the briefest of seconds, then turned back to argue with Merlin about some magical detail, taking another sip of wine before anyone could catch her being emotional, and tucking her hair behind her ear. She laughed, suddenly, red lips parted and eyes shining and Arthur ached to remember the months where he’d forgotten the sound of it, back before he knew any of it but knew something was very wrong.

Things were so different now, not just for the four of them but for the whole castle, the whole city. The mood could hardly have been more different than it was in the last days of Uther’s reign, a warmth and a golden tone to everything that was only half to do with the magic that flourished at every turn.

Arthur had loved his father, and he always would, but the love he lived in now had no fear to it, no coldness or sharp edges. He thought he would always miss his father, but mostly who he could have been – who Arthur thought he might have been, once, before Ygraine.

He drew his thoughts back to the present, and to the ring on his finger and the warmth of his family around him. He caught Merlin’s eye again, flushed and laughing at something Gwen said, and he was so struck by the sheer love he had for him he was surprised the foundations didn’t crack around him. He knew, with a bone-deep certainty, that he would never love anyone else like this, not with all of him and more.

Merlin looked at him in question and he shook his head, turning to allow himself to be drawn into conversation with Leon and the others. Wine flowed and plates emptied, and soon everyone was slouched back in their chair or over the table, getting louder and louder.

Merlin, in a rare show of authority, sent the musicians who appeared home as well, but told them to leave their instruments and come back for them the next day. They left in a similar manner to the earlier servants and Arthur rolled his eyes and nodded before Merlin could even say it, this time. Merlin tapped Morgana on the shoulder and pointed at the instruments. She smiled, and they both whispered something, their eyes glowing gold as the lutes stumbled into the air to begin playing themselves.

A cheer went up from the knights, and soon Merlin had the tables pushed back against the walls and everyone was spinning and stomping and dancing with one another, warm and clumsy and sweaty. They all changed partners multiple times a song, Arthur catching only glimpses of Merlin as he spun by, until they finally bumped into each other and kissed, Arthur tilting Merlin back as the others whooped and laughed. Merlin laughed, too, and Arthur grinned and spun him, letting him go with the certainty he wasn’t letting him go at all.

Eventually Arthur waved Leon off and stood off to the side, leaning against the table. He watched as Merlin tried in vain to snag Gwen for a dance, warned off by a severe glance from Morgana that immediately melted back into adoration as she twirled Gwen before pulling her close.

Gwaine roped Merlin into a stupid dance contest, getting sillier and sillier until both were red and out of breath from dancing and laughing at each other. They embraced, and Merlin shoved him back off into Percival’s arms.

Eventually, the music faded and everyone ended up standing in a crowd beside the door as they began to break off with kisses and hugs and a fair amount of staggering. The knights were heading to the tavern, or to the proprietor’s house, Arthur wasn’t sure which, but after a few minutes of cajoling they realised the others weren’t going with them and spilled out into the corridor with raucous laughter.

Morgana and Gwen were whispering in the corner, Gwen’s head on Morgana’s shoulder, and Arthur wasn’t in the least surprised when they made their excuses. Merlin and Gwen promised to meet up the next day, and hugged while Arthur and Morgana stood and watched them mumble how much they loved each other. He met her eyes and shrugged, and drew her into a tight hug himself. She rested her chin on his shoulder before pulling away, taking Gwen’s hand and letting herself be led away.

And then it was just them, in the empty hall still full of dirty dishes and discarded glasses. Merlin pulled the tables back into place with a look, then incanted the worst of the food off the dishes. He picked one up and examined it, not fully clean by any means.

“I never was much use at that kind of thing,” he said, with a shrug.

“Tell me about it,” Arthur said, and Merlin laughed and set the plate down, clearing a space on the table before hopping up and beckoning to Arthur, who walked until he was stood between his legs. Arthur leaned in and kissed him. “Dance with me,” he said.

“Already did,” Merlin said, teasing.

“Dance with me,” Arthur did not whine.

Merlin grinned, suddenly. “Not here.”

“What?”

“I have something for you,” Merlin said.

“What? We said no gifts.”

“And those gloves you gave me were a complete coincidence, right. It’s not really a gift, come on.” He held out a hand and Arthur took it without question. The sober part of his mind thought that he would probably follow Merlin anywhere, and the drunk part heartily agreed, as he stumbled into several walls while they moved through the castle.

Merlin led him towards the front of the castle and up flights of stairs that left Arthur dizzy. They reached the foot of one of the towers, passing a dozing guard who snapped to attention, but relaxed when he saw Merlin.

“Alright, Merlin? That door’s been stuck all day, probably the ice,” he said, indicating the door leading to the spiral staircase.

“Evening, Allan. You off soon?” The guard nodded. “Have a good one, then, and don’t worry about the door, I’ll sort it out.” Allan shot him a lazy salute, and inclined his head at Arthur before heading off, whistling.

Merlin watched him go until he was around the corner, then turned back to Arthur, who raised his eyebrows.

“A door that doesn’t open? Is that your gift?” he said.

“It’s not stuck, idiot,” Merlin said, and whispered a few words. The door swung open, and Merlin pulled Arthur in behind him. Up and up they went, until Arthur really was dizzy and regretting that last wine. He wondered what on earth Merlin was doing.

They reached the top and Merlin opened that door with another word, stepping back to let Arthur go first.

The snow was deep and untouched, and still falling. Merlin had made sure no one stepped on this tiny patch of it all day, just to bring Arthur up here. It was pristine, soft and brilliant white even in the darkness. Arthur stepped out and tilted his head back in wonder. The air was clear and cold, the constellations twinkling in the distance, and the falling snowflakes looked like falling stars. He looked back at Merlin, who was smiling as he followed him out.

“Merlin, I –”

“It’s freezing out here,” Merlin said lightly. Arthur snorted, and squinted at the space around Merlin, which was suspiciously snow-free, the flakes seeming to avoid him completely.

“Cheating,” Arthur said softly, and Merlin shrugged and let his eyes glow, the snow resuming its usual pattern. Individual flakes stuck to his dark hair, sitting only a moment before they melted. Arthur brushed one away anyway. Merlin caught his hand and took a careful step backward onto the snow.

“I believe you wanted a dance?”

Arthur laughed and joined him, taking a big step out to meet him rather than drag his feet and mess up the snow any further. He paused, and looked out over Camelot, the distant sound of laughter and music carrying in the still air, little lights in every house. Merlin’s hand was warm in his, and he felt like he fit. Like this was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Merlin squeezed his hand, and he looked around to meet the half-exasperated, half-fond look in his eyes. He stepped in close, and Merlin’s other hand settled on his waist, Arthur’s on his arm. Merlin shivered exaggeratedly, and Arthur laughed and brushed a snowflake off his eyelash, hand lingering on his cheek. They swayed in place for a few seconds before Arthur could bring himself to take a step, watching as his boot left a footprint in the snow.

Tomorrow, fresh snow would cover this spot, and the clumsy steps of their musicless dance would be hidden again. But even as the thought occurred to him to ask Merlin to make it winter on this tower forever, Arthur thought he might be alright with that. They would always have had this moment, and Arthur knew there would always be more just like it, Merlin’s hand in his.

He swung Merlin out, their arms extended, before pulling him tight to his chest. Their heads rested beside each other, cheek to cheek. Merlin’s face was cold and flushed already, and he pressed his nose to Arthur’s neck.

“I am freezing,” he mumbled into his collar.

“I’ll buy you a nose warmer if we can stay out here,” Arthur said. “A truly extravagant one.”

Merlin pulled back, and pretended to think about it, before looking up at the sky. Arthur almost missed the gold in his eyes, but he didn’t miss the perfectly round snowball that suddenly dropped on him, spraying snow down the back of his shirt.

He stiffened and counted to ten. Merlin waited expectantly.

“Merlin,” he said.

“Yes, Arthur?”

“You really are the most annoying person I’ve ever met.”

“And yet you married me.”

“Proposed, even, God help me.”

“Proposed? You – Do not start this again,” Merlin warned.

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” Arthur interrupted, looking into his eyes intently and willing him to understand. He used to be so afraid of what his feelings would look like if they ever came out of his mouth, but it turned out they just looked like Merlin’s eyes, deep blue in the dark and flecked with the gold that never really seemed to leave them, now.

“I’d change being this cold, personally,” Merlin said, but his eyes were soft and he was smiling.

Arthur kissed him. Merlin’s face was cold, and he tasted faintly of the wine from dinner, but his mouth was soft and warm and his lips fit to Arthur’s like they were made for this. The snow slowed around them.

They broke off and leaned their foreheads together as the snow returned to its usual speed.

“Me neither,” Merlin said softly. “Except maybe this,” – he gestured between them – “Earlier,” he said.

Arthur shrugged a little. He had had the same thought, but felt he had reached an admirably mature position on his desire to have always been able to kiss Merlin. “We weren’t ready. And we still had each other.”

“I’m glad we got ready,” Merlin said, smiling.

“You mean I did.”

“You – you –” Merlin sighed and looked at Arthur, who couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from twitching. Merlin dropped a frustrated little peck on Arthur’s lips and shook his head. Arthur snorted, then turned and walked over to the edge of the tower, where he leaned on the snowy ledge and looked out into the distance. Merlin stood beside him, as he always had, and took his hand.

**Author's Note:**

> came up with way too much context/backstory and dumped most of it in just for the sake of it. anyway, all very embarrassingly romantic
> 
> hope you enjoyed, please let me know if you did! thank you for reading and feel free to check out my other fics <3
> 
> i'm also on [tumblr](https://idlestories.tumblr.com/) under the same handle


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